Margin stop mechanism for embossing machine carriages



INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 c nfi Graver GRUVER MARGIN STOP MECHANISMFOR EMBOSSING MACHINE CARRIAGES I @S JHW t U 5 co Oct. 5, 1948.

Original Fil-e i Nov. 16, 1946 Oct. 5,1948.

J. H. GRUVER MARGIN STOP MECHANISM FOR EMBOSSING MACHINE CARRIAGESOriginal Filed Nov. 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IMII INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 5, 1948 2,450,726 ICE MARGIN STOP MECHANISM FOREMBOSS- ING MACHINE CARRIAGES John H. Gruver, East Cleveland, Ohio,assignor Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation,

Wilmington, DeL, a corporation of Delaware Original applicat on November16, 1946, Serial No. 710,269. Divided and this application April 9,1947, Serial No. 740,305

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.110,269, filed November 16, 1946.

This invention relates to embossing machines, and particularly to thecarriage that is employed in such machines to support a printing plateor the like while embossing operations are performed thereon.

In the prior patent to Duncan and Hubbard No. 1.831,103, patentedNovember 10, 1931, there is disclosed an embossing machine for embossinglines of type characters on printing plates or the like, and in the useof a machine of the character disclosed in the aforesaid Duncan andHubbard patent, it is desirable that the Work supporting carriage be ofsuch a character as to be readily adaptable to the different conditionsand requirements that are encountered in the production of embossedprintingplates. Such printing plates are made in different sizes so asto accommodate different numbers of lines of embossed characters, and indifferent embossing machine installations it is found that thedifferentusers may desire to space the lines of type in differentamounts from the end of the printing plate. It is also found that whereprinting plates that ac commodate different numbers of lines are to beused, the initial position of the cross slide of the embossing machinecarriage must be changed and adjusted in accordance with the size ofprinting plate that is to be embossed. Many users of embossing machinesof the aforesaid character have occasion to emboss many different sizesof printing plates, and to emboss these printing plates with differentmarginal arrangements. Furthermore. there are instances Where aparticular user of an embossing machine may wish to use different linespacings as well as different character spacings, and in the past thishas been impractical because of the difliculty and time required toelfect the necessary adjustments of the various ator of such machine soas to enable such operator to obtain different line spacings, differentcharacter spacings, different end margins and different initia1line-spacing locations for the cross slide of the embossing machinecarriage, and the present application is directed particularly to thestructure afforded on such carriage for enabling ready and easyadjustment of the end margins to be attained on the embossed printingplates that are mounted on such carriage. It is therefore an importantobject of the present invention to afford simple and readily adjustablemeans for determining the end margin that is to be afforded on printingplates produced in such a machine.

Other and further objects of the present inven- 8 Claims. (01. 197--6.6)

tion will be apparent from the following description and claims and areillustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration,show a preferred embodiment and the principles thereof and what I nowconsider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying thoseprinciples. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same orequivalent principles may be used and structural changesmay be made asdesired by those skilled in the art without departing from the presentinvention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embossing machine carriage embodying thefeatures of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the carriage mounted in positionon the supporting and guiding rail of an emnbossing machine;

Figs. 2A and 2B are side and end views respectively of an adjustablestop member for determining the end margins to be afforded on theembossed plates;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the carriage as viewed from theleft in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a right hand end elevational view of the carriage; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the clamping and positioning means for theprinting plates, the clamping jaws being shown in their horizontalposition.

For purposes of disclosure the invention is herein illustrated asembodied in an embossing machine carriage 30 adapted for use in anembossing machine such as that disclosed in the aforesaid Duncan and'Hubbard patent, and in such use, the carriage 36 is mounted and guidedfor horizontal character spacing movement on a supporting rail 3|. Thecarriage 36 has a cross slide 32 mounted thereon for horizontalline-spacing movement in a. direction transverse to the aforesaiddirection of character spacing movement, and thus the cross slide 32 maybe utilized to eifect line spacing movement of a printing plate or thelike that is supported on the cross slide 32. The mounting of the work,such as the printing plate P, Fig. 3, on the cross slide 32 may beeffected in different ways, but as herein shown, such mounting iseffected manually by means of a pair of clamping jaws 3 3 that areshiftably mounted on the cross slide 34 for movement between a loadingposition shown in Fig. 3 and an operating position that is shown in Fig.4 of the drawings. rail 3| by means including a plurality of rollers 36that are mounted on thecarriage so and engage appropriate surfaces ofthe rail 3| to support and guide the carriage 34 for longitudinalmovement along the rail 3!. The carriage 30 is urged in a right hand orcharacter spacing direction by resilient means of the characterdisclosed in the aforesaid Duncan and Hubbard patent, and characterspacing movements mean- The carriage 30 is supported on the tomaticallyimparted to the carriage 30 at the end of each' embossing cycle throughescapement means 30 that are actuated by downward movement of a,character spacing rod 39, 4. The character spacing rod 39 may of coursebe manually actuated where a character spacing operation is to beperformed without operation of the embossing means of the machine. Theescapement means 38 cooperate with arackR that is mounted on thecarriage 30 as described in my aforesaid l parent application.

The carriage 30 is formed, as disclosed in my aforesaid parentapplication, as a hollow casting affording end walls 02 and 03 and afront wall 63A, and is recessed along its lower forward edge and alongits rear surface to afford clearance spaces for the various operativeelements that are associated therewith. The top of the carriage 30 has aflat surface that serves as a mounting for the cross slide 32 which issupported thereon by means including guide rods 10 alon which the crossslide 32 is slidable in a front to rear direction, as disclosed in saidparent application. The cross slide is constantly urged in a forwarddirection by spring means, as disclosed in said parent application,toward a loading position which is governed by the rotative settin of asettable stop rod 85 that has an adjusting head 88 on its forward end.This stop rod 85 is disclosed in detail in my aforesaid parent ap- 3oplication.

The forward or line spacing movements of the cross slide 32 are impartedthereto by actuation of a rotatable line spacing shaft I00 that isextended through the end walls 52 and 63 of the 35 carriage adjacent tothe upper face 50, and the shaft I00 is horizontally disposed at rightangles to the path of movement of the cross slide 32. On its oppositeend portions and just outside of the walls 62 and 63, the shaft I 00 hasa pair of pinions I DI and I02 that are fixed to the shaft I00. Thepinions IN and I02 are arranged respectively to engage racks I03 and I04that are fixed on opposite ends of the cross slide 32, and hence byrotation of the shaft I00, the cross slide 32 may be actuated in arearward or line spacing direction against the force of the returnspring.

In the use of the carriage of the present invention, the line spacingshaft I00 is actuated and its rest positions are determined by operatingand controlling means that are located at the righthand end of the shaftI00 as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Thus, an actuating pawlH0 is pivoted at III on a rocker IIZ that is mounted for rockingmovement on the shaft I00 somewhat to the right of the pinion I02, andthe pawl IIO has a tooth that is adapted to engage a ratchet wheel I I3,that is fixed on the shaft I00 just to the left of the rocker II2 asviewed in Fig. 1. The specific structure of the line spacing means isdisclosed in detail in my aforesaid paren't application, and for presentpurposes it is sufficient to point out that clockwise actuating movementmay be imparted to the rocker I I 2 by the lever I50, and finger gripsI55 and I50F, Figs. 2, 3 and 4. When so actuated, the eXtension I10 ofthe lever I50 acts through the escapement release lever I60A and a barI65 to release the escapement 38 so as to facilitate concurrent carriagereturn movement. Moreover, selectively effective retaining ratchet meansI23 are afforded in association with the shaft I00 for attainingdifferent line spacing strokes, as described in my'aforesaid copendingapplication,

and such ratchet means, and the pawl H0, may be released by operation ofa carriage return rocker I35, the operation and structure of which arealso set forth in said parent application.

In the use .of the present invention, means are afforded for manuallymounting the printing plates Pin position on the cross slide of themachine, and as will be evident in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, suchmeans include the clamping jaws .33 that are supported on a mountinracket ISI that is in turn secured in position on the upper surface-ofthe cross slide 32. The jaws 33 are mounted for rocking movement betweena generally horizontal operating position shown in Fig. 4. and anupwardly and forwardly extending loading position that is shown in Fig.3. Such mounting of the jaws 33 is efiected by means including a rockshaft I93 upon which the jaws 33 are carried as will hereinafter beexplained, and this shaft I93 is mounted for rocking movement in themounting bracket I9l that is secured in a fixed position on the top ofthe cross slide 32. The mounting bracket I9I under the present inventionis embodied as a sheet metal stamping having a base IBIB that rests fiaton the upper surface of the cross slide 32, and at opposite ends of thebase IBIB, upstanding mountin ears IS'IE are afforded. Along the forwardedge of the base 19 IB, an upstanding wall I 9| R is provided, and atits upper edge, this wall has an angularly disposed portion I9IA that isdisposed in a plane that passes substantially through the mounting shaft193, it being noted that this mounting shaft I33 is rotatably supportedin the end walls Iii-IE adjacent the rear ends of these end walls.

The jaws 33 are afforded by two jaw elements 33U and 33L formed fromsheet metal and pivoted together by a shaft 205. The jaw 33L is carried.at the tail or rear portion thereof, on the rock shaft I93, while a tailportion 33T on the jaw 33U bears against cam portions on the shaft 193so that by rotation of the shaft I93 relative to the jaws, the clampingends of the jaws may be forced to clamping positions against the forceof an opening spring structure 209 acting between the jaws. The shaftI93 may be rocked by means of the handle 2I5 so as to rock the jawassembly between the operating position of Fig. 4 and the loadingposition of Fi 3.

When the jaw assembly is rocked in a clockwise direction, Fig. 3, andinto the aforesaid loading position the righthand ear 203, Fig. 5, movesinto engagement with an adjustable stop 220 that is mounted on a bracket22I secured to the righthand ear I9IE, Fig. 5, of the mounting bracketI9I. Thus the rocking movement of the jaw 33L is terminated, and uponfurther movement of the handle 215 in a clockwise direction, Fig. 3, therock shaft I93 will be rotated relative to the ears 203. Such rotativemovement allows the spring 209 to shift the jaw 331- to its openposition. Such movement is limited by a radial pin 2I5P on the handle2I5 which strikes a stop pin 2I5S fixed on the adjacent ear 203 of thejaw 33L. It should be observed in this regard that a spring 222 actsbetween a pin 223 on the handle 2I5 and the extended end of the pivotshaft 205 so as to normally urge the shaft I93 to a position where thejaws 33 will be clamped, or in other words, this action of the spring222 serves to rotate the rock shaft I93 in a counterclockwise direction,as viewed .in Fig. 3, relative to the two jaws 33.

While holding the handle 2I5 in a jaw-opening position, the operatorinserts a printing plate P into position between the marginal endportions 33E of the jaws, and in this connection it should be observedthat a rabbeted groove 33G is provided on the jaw 33L, Fig. 4, so as tobe engaged by the edge of the printing plate P as it is moved intoposition between the jaws. The operator may then turn the handle 2 I 5in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 3, and this first permits thespring 222 to cause clamping of the jaws, and after the jaws are clampedthe further movement of the handle ZIE acts to shift the jaws 33 to theoperating position of Fig. 4. This operating position is determined byan adjustable abutment or screw 22d fixed in the lower jaw 33L andarranged to abut the upper face of.the cross slide 32 as will be evidentin Fig. 4 of the drawings. In the reverse movement of the handle 2l5,the jaws 33 are first moved to the loading position, and further orcontinued movement of the handle 2H5 serves torotate the shaft I93relative to the jaws 33 so as to thereby cause the jaws to beunclamp-ed.

The rabb-eted groove 33G of the lower jaw 33L serves of course todetermine the position of the printing plate P in one direction, but itis also necessary to properly locate the printing plate P in an endwisedirection, thereby to insure that the embossed characters will beproperly located in an endwise direction relative to the plate P. Underthe present invention, means are provided whereby such endwise locationor" the printing plate P in the jaws 33 may be readily and easilaccomplished, and whereby such an endwise location may be readilychanged by the usual operator of the machine when different end marginsare desired on the printing plates that are to be embossed. For thispurpose the present invention provides a readily settable variable stopmechanism 225 disposed on the mounting bracket 19% to afford a stopagainst which one end edge of a plate P may be engaged in the course ofa plate mounting operation. This readily settable stop mechanism 225 asherein shown is carried on a secondary bracket 226 having an arm 226Athat is disposed along the forward face of the upstanding wall IQiR. Thearm 226A is secured in position by screws 22! that extend throughlongitudi- -rial slots 228, Fig. 2, in the arm 226A, such screws beingthreaded into the wall lGiR. At its lefthand end as viewed in Fig. 2,the secondary bracket 226 has an end wall 228W, and this end wall isdisposed in a plane that is perpendicular to the plane of the wall 3 85R. In the wall 226W, a stub shaft 225 is mounted, and on the stub shaft229, a knurled stop head 23!} is rotatably mounted in a fixedlongitudinal position. The knurled stop head 238 is arranged to be [heldin any one of a plurality of different rotative positions by means of aretaining lever 21% mounted on the end wall 226W and urged to aneffective position by a torsion spring 232. The retaining lever 234engages suitable fiat surfaces on the sides of the adjustable stop head23!] to hold the same in different rotative positions. The knurled stophead .235 is cut away at different points about its periphery to afforda plurality of stop shoulders 239l, 236-3 and 23il i, and these stopshoulders face to the right in Figs. 1 and 2 and are displaced axiallyfrom each other so that each stop shoulder will serve to locate aprinting plate in a different endwise position. Thus by rotativeadjustment of the head 23%, the endwise location of the printing platesP may readily be changed. The adjustable stop head 239 is arranged tocare for most of the normal marginal arrangements that are encounteredin the use of embossing machines of the character to which thisinvention relates, and accuracy of initial adjustment may of course beattained by appropriate adjustment of the mounting arm 226A. After suchan initial adjustment, four different marginal settings for the printingplates may be attained merely by rotative adjustment of the head 230.There are of course instances where it is desirable to emboss printingplates that are relatively short in length, and in such instances, aspecial stop means may be mounted directly on the rearward face of theangular portion itlA of the bracket lfil. Such a special stop isillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and comprises a rectangularblock 2 20 that is disposed on the rearward face of the flange idiA nearthe lefthand end portion thereof as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. The block2% is held in the desired adjusted position by a mounting screw 2 H thatis extended through a longitudinal slot 2 51.2 formed in the flange HA.'The block 2% may of course be put in position quite readily, and may beremoved where the machine is to operate upon the larger and more commonsizes of the printing plates, in which instance, the adjustable head 239will serve to afford the desired stop means for determining the endmargin on the printing plate.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the presentinventionmaterially simplifies the use of embossing machines, and inparticular it will be evident under the present invention that the endmargin adjustment or setting may readily be changed by the usualoperator of the machine. I

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of variation andmodification and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes andalterations which fall within the purview of the following claims,

I claim:

1. In a machine of th character described wherein a carriage and a crossslide mounted for transverse movement on the carriage are utilized toeffect character spacing and line spacing movement of a printing plate,clamping jaws mounted on said cross slide for movement lbetween anoperating position and a loading position, and a shiftable-stop membersupported upon said cross slideadjacent to the location ofsaid'jaws'when said jaws are disposed in said loading position.

said stop member having-a plurality of abutment surfaces formed thereonin different positions and adapted to be set by shifting of said stopmember for selective engagement by the end of a printing position, and astop member mounted in fixed axial position on said cross slide forrotation on an axis parallel to the reciprocating path of said carriageand adjacent to the location of said jaws when said jaws are disposed insaid loading position, said stop member having a plurality of 7 abutmentsurfaces formed thereon in different axial and circumferential locationsand adapted to beset by rotative adjustment of said stop member forselective engagement by the end of a printing plate .as such printingplate is loaded into said jaws to thereby determine the endwise marginalrelationship of such printing plate with respect to said jaws.

3. In a machine of the character described wherein a reciprocablecarriage and a cross slide mounted for transverse movement on thecarriage are utilized to efiect character spacing and line spacingmovement of a printing plate, clamping jaws mounted on said cross slidefor movement between an operating position and a loading position, astop member mounted in fixed axial position on said cross slide forrotation on an axis parallel to the reciprocating path of said carriageand adjacent to the location of said jaws when said jaws are disposed insaid loading position, said stop member having a plurality of abutmentsurfaces formed thereon in different axial and circumferential locationsand adapted to be set by rotative adjustment of said stop member forselective engagement by the end of a printing plate as such printingplate is loaded into said jaws to thereby determine the endwise marginalrelationship of such printing plate with respect to said jaws, and meansfor holding said stop member in any position of rotative adjustment.

4. In a machine of the character described wherein a reciprocablecarriage and a cross slide mounted ,for transverse movement on thecarriage are utilized to effect character spacing and line spacingmovement of a printing plate, clamping jaws mounted on said cross slidefor movement between an operating position and a loading position, abracket mounted on said cross slide for adjustment parallel to thereciprocating path of said carriage, and a shiftable stop membersupported upon said bracket adjacent to the location of said jaws whensaid jaws are-disposed in said loading position, said stop member havinga plurality of abutment surfaces formed thereon in difierent positionsand adapted to be set by shifting of said stop member for selectiveengagement by the end of the printing plate as such printing plate isloaded into said jaws to thereby determine the endwise marginalrelationship of such printing plate with respect to said jaws.

5. In a machine of the character described wherein a reciprocablecarriage and a cross slide mounted for transverse movement on thecarriage are utilized to effect character spacing and line spacingmovement of a printing plate, clamping jaws mounted on said cross slidefor movement between an operating position and a loading position, abracket mounted on said cross slide for adjustment parallel to thereciprocating path of said carriage, a shiftable stop member supportedupon said bracket adjacent to the location of said jaws when said jawsare disposed in said loading position, said stop member having aplurality of, abutment surfaces formed thereon in difierent positionsand adapted to be set by shifting of said stop member for selectiveengagement by the end of the printing plate as such printing plate isloaded into said jaws to thereby determine the endwise marginalrelationship of such printing plate with respect to said jaws, andyielding means'operable to hold said stop member in any one of its setpositions.

6. In a machine of the character described wherein a carriage and across slide mounted for transverse movement on the carriage are utilizedto client character spacing and line spacingmove .ment of a printingplate, clamping jaws mounted on said cross slide for movement between anoperating position and a loading position, a shiftable stop membersupported upon said cross slide adjacent to the location of said jawswhen said jaws are disposed in said loading position, said stop memberhaving a plurality of abutment surfaces formed thereon in diiierentpositions and adapted to be set by shifting of said stop member forselective engagement by the end of a printing plate as such printingplate is loaded into said jaws to thereby determine the endwise marginalrelationship of such printing plate with respect to said jaws, and aspring urged detent acting on said stop member to hold the same in anyset position thereof.

7. In a machine of the character described wherein a reciprocablecarriage and a cross slide mounted for transverse movement on thecarriage are utilized to effect character spacing and line spacingmovement of a printing plate, clamping jaws mounted on said cross slidefor movement between an operating position and a loading position, abracket mounted on said cross slide for adjustment parallel to thereciprocating path of said carriage, a shiftable stop member supportedupon said bracket adjacent to the location of said jaws when said jawsare disposed in said loading position, said stop member having aplurality of abutment surfaces formed thereon in difierent positions andadapted to be set by shifting of said stop member for selectiveengagement by the end of the printing plate as such printing plate isloaded into said jaws to thereby determine the endwise marginalrelationship of such printing plate with respect to said jaws, andyielding means mounted on said bracket and engageable with said stopmember to hold said stop member in any one of its set positions.

8. In a machine of the character described wherein a reciprocablecarriage and a cross slide mounted for transverse movement on thecarriage are utilized to effect character spacing and line spacingmovement of a printing plate, clamping jaws mounted on said cross slidefor movement between an operating position and a loading position, abracket mounted on said cross slide for adjustment parallel to thereciprocating path of said carriage, and a stop member mounted in fixedaxial position on said bracket for rotation on an axis parallel to thereciprocating path of said carriage and adjacent to the location of saidjaws when said jaws are disposed in said loading position, said stopmember having a plurality of abutment surfaces formed thereon indifierent axial and circumferential locations and adapted to be set byrotative adjustment of said stop member for selective engagement by theend of,a printing plate as such printing plate is loaded into said jawsto thereby determine the endwise marginal relationship of said printingplate with respect to said jaws.

JOHN H. GRUVER.

REFERENCES CITED ihe following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 921,600 Duncan May 11, 19091,735,252 Kiely Nov. 12, 1929

